The world is often a chaotic, puzzling place. Reflection is how we can make sense of the world and our place in it. As the Jesuits at Boston College put it, “Reflection is the way we discover and compose the meaning of our experience.” 

In this episode, Craig discusses critical self-reflection and its many benefits. He also describes a systematic method for reflection and offers three things you can put into practice that will help you build a practice of reflection in order to take control of your life.

Ben Franklin’s Method of Self-Improvement: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/benjamin-franklins-method-of-self-improvement/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

Do you ever feel like you’re going through life on autopilot? Most of us have, but life doesn’t have to be that way. Join Craig as he discusses mindfulness  and its benefits. Mindfulness is an active, conscious process where you’re more open to the present as well as more attentive and aware of the moment. According to Dr. Ellen Langer there are three specific behaviors related to mindfulness: engagement, seeking novelty and producing novelty. Listen to the episode to learn what to do to practice mindfulness in your life and how to use it to become the master of your thoughts and actions.

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected]

Production assistant - Paul Robert

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

Do you have a purpose in life? And do you know the difference between purpose and goals? In this episode you’ll learn how purpose is an elemental foundation to guiding your life and flourishing, as well as a means for having more focus and resilience when faced with the challenges of life. It’s also important to understand that you already have purpose, it’s already in you, and it is not something that you can find, but rather discover. By following the steps covered in this episode, you’ll be able to reflect on what is your “why” by figuring out what makes you happy, fills you with a sense of accomplishment and that you would like to be recognized for. Listen to the episode to discover your purpose and use it as a North Star to guide you towards a path of flourishing.

Watch Simon Sinek’s video “Start with Why”:

https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl:

https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/0807014273/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected]

Production assistant - Paul Robert

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

How much would your life improve if you could take more control over yourself and your behaviors? In this episode you’ll learn how to take charge of your life through self-leadership. Despite the influence of others, you and you alone are responsible for your life. Join Craig as he explores some of the principles of Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory to increase your wellbeing. Discover how autonomy, competence and strong relationships are basic psychological needs that drive our wellbeing. Plus, find out about how you can lead yourself with the four core practices: purposefulness, mindfulness, reflection and practice. Listen to the episode for a motivational lesson on wellness psychology and to coach yourself into being your own leader.

 Books: (Note: These are NOT affiliate links.)
 Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness
 By Richard M. Ryan, Edward L. Deci
 https://www.amazon.com/Self-Determination-Theory-Psychological-Motivation-Development/dp/1462538967/

 Self-Leadership: The Definitive Guide to Personal Excellence
By Christopher P. Neck, Charles C. Manz, Jeffery D. Houghton
https://www.amazon.com/Self-Leadership-Definitive-Guide-Personal-Excellence/dp/1544324308/

 Mastering Self Leadership: Empowering Yourself for Personal Excellence
 By Christopher P. Neck, Charles P. Manz
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Self-Leadership-Empowering-Excellence/dp/013275441X/

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

Whether you realize it or not, who you are is under your control. You get to decide the sort of person you are and the virtues you exhibit. In this episode, I discuss Benjamin Franklin's "... bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection."

Franklin's method is elegant in it's simplicity and powerful in its ability to transform lives. Learn about the history of how he created this technique and apply a simple but effective and proven method for becoming the sort of person you want to be. Don’t miss out on this helpful guide and resource in your journey to flourishing!

Example of Franklin's notebook:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-i296IM9mnz6x2ulCtAPC-peb_kma1mInLWrsafferU/edit?usp=sharing


Links:

Franklin Virtues Chart (8.5” x 11”)

These are set up for 13 virtues, but you can easily adjust them for four, eight, or whatever number you want. A simple find & replace can replace Virtue 1, etc. with your virtues. These are all the same, just in different formats. 

Word: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJbwjKeYRXHzBrt4EF2-welz1KZqf4U5/view?usp=sharing

.odt: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJbwjKeYRXHzBrt4EF2-welz1KZqf4U5/view?usp=sharing

Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1681lkb9N6QsbZzwgLCWIbBzqW-Lbv7s8zP2E3PVMSRg/edit?usp=sharing

Franklin Virtues Chart 3x5 card version, four virtues: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DGVa47DWXqe3ZtdrjQFPY14AQ1vA07Mm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110655451884880977802&rtpof=true&sd=true 

Franklin Virtues Chart 3x5 card version, list your own virtues: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RaEK5KkrMPSluoD7Et0hCfyPjqT-8UkN/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110655451884880977802&rtpof=true&sd=true 

Franklin’s Thirteen Virtues

Temperance | Eat not to dullness. Drink not to elevation.
Silence | Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
Order | Let your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
Resolution | Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Frugality | Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself. Waste nothing.
Industry | Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Sincerity | Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if  you speak, speak accordingly.
Justice | Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Moderation | Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Cleanliness | Tolerate no uncleanliness in body clothes, or habitation
Tranquility | Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
Chastity | Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
Humility | Be neith

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler,...

The Rational Ignorance Podcast is now Live Well & Flourish. If you're already subscribed to the podcast, you shouldn't have to do anything at all to keep listening, although you might notice our new artwork. Thank you!

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

Cicero called gratitude not only the greatest, but also the parent of all other virtues. Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, a leading researcher on happiness, notes that gratitude can act as an antidote for negative emotions. Across millennia great thinkers have noted the benefits of gratitude. 

In this episode, I explore gratitude and its many benefits and how gratitude can be an important element of living well. Essentially, flourishing requires happiness (in fact, one could argue that flourishing IS happiness of a certain kind), and gratitude is an important determinant of happiness. So, there's a clear path from gratitude to flourishing.

Listen to this episode to learn more about gratitude, its benefits, and how to develop gratitude as part of your being. Be sure to listen to the end for three things that you can put into practice today that will help you become a more grateful, and happier, person.


For more information: (Note: These are NOT affiliate links.)
https://www.healthyhumansproject.com/gratitude-the-parent-of-all-virtues/
http://thehowofhappiness.com/buy-the-book/
https://chopra.com/articles/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude
https://www.wabash.edu/news/story/11844
https://www.commonsenseethics.com/blog/5-signs-you-lack-gratitude-according-to-cicero

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

Grief comes from loss. But gratitude should accompany grief. Listen as Craig reflects on the puzzling relationship between grief and gratitude, and how a deeper understanding of how they interact can help you deal with grief, and prepare for future grief. 

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

We often hear of utility, usually as it relates to economics or usefulness. But there is a different view of utility, one that focuses on pleasure. In this episode, Andrea and Craig discuss this view of utility as pleasure, which is the foundation of Jeremey Bentham and John Stuart Mills' view of utilitarianism.  They also discuss the difference between transitory, shallow pleasures (like eating yummy french fries) and enduring deep pleasures (such as being a good person).  At the end of the episode Andrea and Craig provide some suggestions for building more pleasure into your life.

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert

Humans are hardwired to pay more attention to negative events than positive events. This proclivity is known as the negativity bias. Thankfully,  a large number of good events can overcome the effects of a small number of bad events, which can work out well because most of us experience many more positive events than negative events. The problem is that we tend to pay more attention to the bad things that happen.

In this episode, Andrea and Craig discuss negativity bias and how to overcome its effects by attending more to positive events.  As always, Craig makes a mention of pets and animals while Andrea figures out a way to mention Aristotle. Listen to this episode to learn how to keep the little negative things from bothering you so much and gain insight into how focusing on the positive will have a beneficial effect on your life and mental health.

Articles on Negativity Bias:
Not all emotions are created equal: The negativity bias in social-emotional development
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3652533/

Reappraisal—but not Suppression—Tendencies Determine Negativity Bias After Laboratory and Real-World Stress Exposure

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8531907/

Convergent behavioral and corticolimbic connectivity evidence of a negativity bias in children and adolescents
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5390736/

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Live Well and Flourish website: https://www.livewellandflourish.com/

The theme music for Live Well and Flourish was written by Hazel Crossler, [email protected].

Production assistant - Paul Robert